5 from Wayne charged in 'far more than school prank'

Police have arrested five students who just graduated from Wayne Valley High School and charged them with planting smoke bombs in two lockers that led to the evacuation of the school earlier this month, authorities said today.

The students were caught as a result of an investigation that centered around more than 100 hours of videotape taken from 108 cameras installed on school property.

"We viewed it as a being something far more than a school prank," said Bruno Mongiardo, Passaic County's first assistant prosecutor. "Had these devices been detonated, the results within that school could have been catastrophic."

Identifiable suspects.

The suspects - all from Wayne - were identifed as Mauricio Alarco, Michael Bacchioni and Robert Margolies, all 18. The other two suspects were not identified because they were minors at the time of the alleged offense.

All five were charged with seven counts of second and third-degree crimes, including burglary, attempted aggravated arson and attempting to cause widespread injury or damage.

The adults face up to 25 years in prison if convicted, said James Wilson, Passaic County's chief assistant prosecutor.

The three adults charged were released on $50,000 cash bail each. The juveniles were released on home detention and will be monitored by ankle bracelets, Wilson said.

Wilson said tapes showed the students broke int Wayne Valley High School on two separate occasions as part of an elaborate plan to plant the smoke bombs, which were wrapped in duct tape, in the lockers.

"We know it was their intent to light them," he said. "At a minimum, panic would have set in. There could have been tremendous amounts of injury from that alone."

Authorities said the smoke bombs were likely bought in Pennsylvania and brought back to New Jersey. After executing a search warrant, investigators found a similar device and two sweatshirts identical to one seen on the video in homes of the suspects.

Maria Nuccetelli, Wayne school superintendent, said no action could be taken against the five because they are no longer students in the district. She said she had not yet had a chance to review the students' records.